A Life of Servitude
by lotrnut
Summary: Tristan is to become a knight and serve the Roman Empire. His thoughts about what has happened to his life and his fellow knights
1. Default Chapter

' thoughts'

"spoken words"

Chapter 1

'I see the Roman solders riding up the hill to come recruit, no not recruit, we have no choice in the matter, more like take.' Thought Tristian. 'One or more boys from every village, that are over the age of 10, to train and eventually become knights to protect whatever post the Romans felt like putting them.'

"Tristian! They're here, get your things ready!"

"Already done Papa!"

'They're closer now, their armor covered bodies shine in the sun, their horses clean limed and muscular very different from our shabby ponies and horses, fur covered huts, and grubby clothing.' He thinks this as he walks up to his gray dapple with a black mane to strap on his supplies and the little bit of food that could be spared form the village store. He looks back at the Romans as his father comes up behind him and places his hand on his shoulder and the other around his mother's waist. 'Their almost here I'd better go but I don't see any other boys with them, I wonder if I'm the first one they've picked up or if they've hurt or killed the others. The Romans have a habit of hurting others and not really caring if they do.'

"Are there anymore boy?"

Tristian looked up at the Roman who had spoken and just shook his head.

'They want more blood! Are not the ones they are taking enough for them? ' Tristian turned back around for what would be the last time he ever looked upon his home and family.

"RRRUUUUUSSSSSSSSSS!" The whole village yelled after Tristian as he smiled sadly and rode away.


	2. The Journey

Authors note: Ok guys I am really sorry I forgot to put a disclaimer on chapter one, so it will be below the warnings. Also this is the chapter that may get the story to the T rating but I will try to make worse and just rated it M just to be safe. There is a warning below this I suggest u read if u are a bit frightful about that sort of thing. Now on with the story!

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER HAS A BIT OF RAPE IN IT SO IF YOU DON'T LIKE TO READ ANYTHNG THAT EVEN MENTIONS IT I SUGGEST THAT U READ NO MORE! CONSIDER YOUR SELF WARNED!

Disclaimer: I own nothing King Arthur except Tristian and that's only in my dreams but o well. If you try to sue you will get nothing but a picture of me doubled over laughing at you and how you tried to sue me over something so small as a little story. If you want it that bad then I'll take it as a compliment but I think that you have more sense then that. Have fun!

Chapter 2

As they went along they picked up 2 more boys from a village 60 leagues away from his. First one boy came upon a white horse. He had blond hair that looked more red that went down to his shoulder blades and bright eyes. Tristian later learned that his name was Gawain and he was the oldest of 5 boys. The second, he was obviously younger then the other, rode up crying. He had dark curly hair cut short with a dirty piece of clothing wrapped around his head to keep his ears warm.

"So you thought you could go and I wouldn't notice? I've got eyes Gawain!"

"If the stories the older knights tell are true then I don't want you to go through the same thing they did Galahad!"

"What are you trying to protect me now? I'm not a baby!"

Tristian blocked out the argument between the two boys and started looking around the land. It looked the same as always, grass everywhere but where the little rivers of water trickled down from the mountains that was the northern boundary of their country. When he looked back at the boys he saw that they had finished their argument and were now waiting on the decision of the Romans. 'Their going to say yes if they could take everyone in every village they would.' One, Tristian saw, had a funny gleam in his eye. 'I wonder what he's got in his head.' He noticed that the Roman was looking at the younger boy, Galahad. 'I'm going to have to watch him I don't like that look he has.'

Over the past two weeks they picked up 6 more boys, of which only 2 left a lasting impression on him. One called Dagonet was tall and quite. Tristian liked him immediately. Another, Bors, was loud and looked as though he could crush a mans skull between his two powerful arms. 'They compliment each other perfectly.' Tristian thought as he watched them grow closer during he journey.

The last boy they picked up had dark curly hair and dark eyes.

"How long shall we be gone?"

Tristian had heard this question numerous times and hoped that the Romans wouldn't get mad at the lad.

"Fifteen years, not including the months it will take to get to your post."

"And where shall our post be?" Tristian asked, it had been a question he had been wanting to ask for a while. Everybody turned to look at him in wonder.

"So he does talk." Bors muttered to Dagonet, hoping that Tristian hadn't heard him. Tristian just ignored him for it was the first time he had spoken since he had left home.

"Hadrians Wall in Britain." Said the Roman after a pause. Tristian had heard of Hadrians Wall. It was built by the Roman Emperor of the same name 3 centuries before he or the other boys. It stretched 73 miles long marking the northern boundary of the Roman Empire.

They continued riding and at night Tristian watched over Galahad and if he couldn't stay awake any longer he slept right beside him and Gawain.

One night when they were 150 leagues away form the wall, Tristian awoke to the sound of a scuffle, he turned around and found Galahad gone. He looked for Gawain and saw him get up and start looking for Galahad. Tristian got up and ran towards the where he thought the sound of the scuffle was coming from. When he got there the sight that he saw brought back memories he would rather not remember. There were 2 Romans one holding down Galahads arms, the other lifted up his toga and then got on top of the struggling Galahad. Tristian knew what Galahad was thinking, 5 years ago Romans had come to his village to do a census and check up on the villages. When the Romans saw him they went to his father and asked if they could speak to him for a while, but his father, knowing what they had in mind, said no.

He mentally kicked himself for letting those toughs return. 'Stop thinking and get Gawain and the others.' So he turned and ran as fast as his legs would carry him over to where Gawain had gone.

"Gawain! He's over here get the others we'll have to fight them off."

Gawain looked at him questioningly but nodded his head and went to wake Lancelot, Bors, and Dagonet. When they go there they all stopped. Galahad was still struggling but was getting tired and the gag that the Romans had placed in his mouth had almost completely fallen out when they jumped into the fray. Gawain, Dagonet, and Bors jumped on the Roman on top of Galahad, while Tristian and Lancelot jumped on the Roman that was holding his arms. In ten mins. they had the Romans pined down when the other boys came to see what the commotion was all about. When 3 other Romans came and saw 2 of their comrades pinned down in the ground with swards at their necks they started yelling and hitting the boys. After they saw a crying and bleeding Galahad in Gawain's arms they understood and tied up the two guilty Romans and put them in the Roman side of the camp.

Because Tristian was the closest thing they had to a surgeon, he looked over Lancelot, Dagonet, and Galahads injuries. One of the Romans pulled a dagger on Dagonet and grazed his shoulder while Lancelot received a slap across the face with a leather-gloved hand that left a bloody whelp in its wake. Neither of their injuries was serious but Galahad had a number of them. The sides of his mouth were torn where he had fought to get rid of the gag. His hips and wrist were turning weird shades of yellow, blue, purple and black where the Romans had held him down. He would not talk to Tristian or Gawain and tried his hardest not to meet their gaze. After finishing with Galahad and leaving him with Gawain, he went to check on his horse and to think. 'His injuries were just like mine except, because he had another to hold him down, none of the injuries ever broke skin.' He lifted up his sleeve to look at he scars around his wrist, that he got when his Roman had kidnapped him, took him into an empty hut, tied him to the wall (none to gently) and brutally raped him. He felt sorry for Galahad because, unlike Tristian whose father had hacked the Roman into pieces after he walked in on the Roman the 2nd, he would be riding with the Romans who had tortured him until they got the wall and might even have to live with them.

He suddenly became aware of his surroundings when he sensed someone moving in the darkness. Then he saw Galahad; he was walking very stiffly.

"You should be resting." Tristian said. Galahad winced.

"I know, I just came to say thank you. Gawain said that you was the one that found me and alerted them, so thank you."

He smiled a bit then turned and walked away.

"Your welcome Galahad." Galahad turned around and smiled again, only bigger this time, as Tristian put his arm around Galahads waist and helped him back to his pallet. The rest of the way to the Wall Tristian and Gawain stayed up and kept watch over Galahad and the rest of he boys

A/N: I just want to say a big thx to my reviewers and if u like it the more reviews I get the faster ill put up a new chappie!

hugs


	3. Training Day

A/N: hey everybody sorry it took so long to get the third chappy up. I had TAKS test all last week so I couldn't get into the library to upload it to the web site. Have fun reading!

Warning: this story (not necessarily this chapter) had uber ouches and hurts so if you don't like any of that stuff I suggest that you don't read! There will be comfort for said characters and there might just be a happy ending! So keep on reading!

Chapter Three

They rested for a week they got to the Wall. They were to begin their training after the week was up. All of the boys would train for 4 months learning and perfecting horsemanship, and learning to fight with any kind of weapon: spears, swords, daggers, bows and arrows, maces, axes their fist and even their shields as weapons as well as defense from attacks. They learned how to give a blow how to take one, how to make quick kills, fast stabs, and the best places to hit a man so that he'll bleed out and die slowly. By the end of the last two months the knights had picked their weapons of choice. Tristian had a bow and arrows and a sword that was slightly curved at the end given to him by his father before he left.

"Take this Tristian, it was mine when I was a knight. Use it to not only protect yourself but others as well."

"Thank you Papa, it would so me a great honor to wield your mighty sword."

"It is only made mighty by its wielder. Remember that Tristian."

Galahad, who turned out to be a very good fighter and could fight with anything thrown at him, right down to a tree branch, favored his bow and a short sword. Gawain and Dagonet favored axes and maces to any other weapon, but could also fight with swords. Bors was an excellent marks man and could hit anything with an arrow, but preferred two knifes whose handles one could slip their hands into the middle of. Since Lancelot could fight well with both hands, he went to the blacksmith and had twin swords made, which made him even more deadly.

While they were training the knights noticed at times that there would be a group of Romans watching them intently and taking notes on how they fought. What they didn't know was that they watched them while they were having their free time. They watched how they reacted to certain things and took notes on the personalities of each boy. At the end of the boys training the Romans had all the boys line up and told them to step up when their names were called.

"I wonder what they want." Galahad whispered to Tristian. Tristian just shrugged his shoulders. The Romans called his name first then three others. After this the Romans told the other boys that they would have six months to prefect their weaponry and horsemanship. When the boys left the Romans turned back to the four boys.

"This training is going to be harder then any you have yet had. You will learn how to track, how to go for days with out food or rest, how to ignore pain…"

'Well this should be fun I already know how to s most of those things, I'm glad my Pa took me out on those hunting trips when I was younger.' Thought Tristian as the Roman continued.

"… And at the end you learn the art of falconry. If you survive that long." The Roman said with a smile.

Tristian's head popped up at the word falconry, he had seen some me with falcons who helped them hunt and always thought it might be fun to train a falcon of his own.

"Your training will begin tomorrow."

"What shall we be training for?" asked the boy to Tristian's left. He rolled his eyes 'As if it isn't obvious already.'

"You will learn to scout out herbs, roads, and armies that the other boys will have difficulty finding with silence and stealth on your side."

"So we're training to be scouts." Said the other boy, Tristian just shook his head.

"Get a good nights sleep we start early tomorrow."

When Tristian go to back to the barracks that he shared with Gawain, Galahad, Bors, Dagonet, Lancelot and two other boys they all looked up at him with a questioning look in their eyes. Tristian just half smiled and went to bed.

"What did they want?" Galahad asked.

"Nothing Just extra training."

"But your one of the best fighters here why so you need more training?" Asked Gawain as he and the others came over to Tristian's bed.

"It's scout training." The boys all looked at each other.

The next day a Roman came before dawn to get Tristian and the other three boys. When they got out side he said, "Today we are going to go inside the forest and learn herbs that you can use for healing, poisons, or eating if there is nothing left."

"But the forest is over two days ride away!" one of the boys named Kay said. The Roman smiled.

"If you're afraid to ride into a forest and pick some flowers then you should just stay here." Said the boy name Jerric. Tristian was thinking the same thing but kept his mouth closed.

"Oh it's going to be more then picking flowers, you'll have to watch out for Woads and might even have to fight some off, but you'll have a Roman watching you and another teaching you. At the end when you finish with the herbs there will be a surprise." At this the Roman smiled wickedly.

'I don't like that smile.'

A/N: if I do not have at least 5 more reviews it will take me longer to put up new chappies and trust me they get better. So review review review! Just hit that little button down there even if you have nothing better to say then hi it is greatly appreciated and will help boost my ego thx luv you all!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: hey all I taught that since I didn't update in forever I would give you two chappies for your reading enjoyment

Warning! This chapter contains some hurt, as do the nest two chapters! There are mentions of rape so if you no likie you no readie or you could just skip this and the next two chapters which ever floats your boat! Consider your self warned and have fun reading!

_Chapter 4_

When they got to the forest the Romans turned around.

"I hope you remember the way back to the wall because you're going to lead us back at the end of the two months that we will be here. Now since you four are the youngest you are setting up camp, and have skivvy duty."

"What's skivvy duty?" asked Kay.

"You have the fun task of hunting, dressing and cooking the meals for every one and then clean up when every one is finished." Smiled the Roman.

"The little slaves get to be slaves." Laughed the two Romans that sat near by. Anger boiled in Tristian, he hated how the Romans looked down on every one else. 'Oh well he thought what goes up must come back down they can't stay in power forever.' It was a saying his father had said many times when the men of his village came to him to complain about the Romans.

"So hurry up and get camp done and then get dinner started. We'll start your training tomorrow. Now get!" Tristian just stood there glaring for about thirty seconds then went with the others.

After the tents were pitched and they got the campfire started they got some dried meat and warmed them up a bit and them passed them out along with some bread. As Tristian served a Roman, he saw that the one that Jerric was serving slide his hand down his back until it rested on his butt. Jerric slapped his hand away cursing him and started to walk away when the Roman took his arm and jerked him around ruffly and slapped hi in the face causing him to fall to the ground.

Tristian started to walk towards him when Jerric looked up at him, his lip was split and a bruise was forming on his cheekbone. When he saw Tristian coming to help him he shook his head no. Tristian stopped. 'I guess I could talk to him later. We really need to stick together.'

What he saw next shocked him. He knew it shouldn't have since it had already happened to him and Galahad and the gods only knew how many others they had mistreated in this way. He saw the Roman grab Jerric again once he was off the ground and hauled him behind a tree where they were out of sight of the rest of the camp. The Romans who saw it happen turned their heads and acted like they hadn't seen their companion or hear the quite whimpers of the boy. Just as Tristian was about to run up and get the Roman off of Jerric, Titus, his older brother ran up and threw the Roman off the crying and shaking Jerric. Tristian and Kay ran to back up their fellow knights as Titus was saying, "If you touch my brother, me, or any of the others I swear to the gods above I will kill you!" The Roman looked at him bewildered but then smiled and walked off, leaving three smoldering boys glaring at his back. Jerric had slid down the tree and had his knees up to his chest with his head on and his arms wrapped around them rocking back and forth. Tristian saw that his shoulders were shaking with quite sobs. Titus squatted down to his brother and touched his shoulder; Jerric jumped and tensed up.

"Jerric it's me, I'm here and I'll never let them touch you again." A single tear rolled down Titus' cheek when his brother looked up at him, eyes red and puffy from crying, his cheek bruised and blood dripping sown his chin where his lip had split and the Romans hard kissing had aggravated it. Jerric looked down Disgusted with him self. He was quite from then on and only talked when the need was dire.

After the two brothers had gone inside the tent that the four boys had to share, Titus wrapped up Jerric in their fun pelts and came back outside.

"How is he?" Kay asked taking the words right out of Tristian's mouth.

"He's really shaken up and will not talk to me." Titus said. "If it's all right with you two I think we need to keep watch so this will not happen to him or anyone else again.

Kay and Tristian agreed wholeheartedly.

"Right, I'll take the first watch I couldn't sleep even if I tried." Titus said

"I'll stay beside him." Tristian said

Titus looked at him in mock surprise.

"I thought you were a mute. Seeing how you spoke to no one on the way to this retched island and Lancelot and others say you barely talk to them." He said trying to lighten the mood. Tristian just smiled.

The first month and a half was uneventful, Tristian, being a naturally fast learner learned all the herbs and footprints in three weeks. The fact that he already knew most of them helped a bit too, so he had some free time on his hands to do whatever he felt like doing.

When they went out for a routine lesson they ran into Woads. Tristian, having scouted the area within a twenty-mile radius in his free time, knew that there was not a Woad anywhere close to them and hadn't been for a while. So when they attacked he watched them fight when he could trying to tell from their techniques if they were really Woads. He saw one "Woad" smile and the Roman he was "fighting" with when it fully dawned on Tristian. It was a trap and probably their surprise. When he stopped to tell the other boys he was his over the head and knew nothing more.

**A/N: hey everyone I hope you like and I think that I'm going to be xtra nice this week and type the next chapter but that's all. Ill try to get chapter 6-8 typed some time in the next week but I'm not promising anything. Remember my little goal about the reviews the more reviews I get the faster I type. So pass it along to all your online friends or not and just review even if to say hi or it sux whatever (of course if you say it sux I will be pissed at you for the next two days then forget all about it and agree with you j/k) luv yall **


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Ok! Yeah! A bonus chapter…some what… for your reading pleasure (u guys r lucky I'm doing this for yall I had a band lock in and didn't get any sleep.) so u guys had better like it.

Disclaimer: yadda yadda yadda basic mot mine, I get no money (tear) property of the wonderful minds who have more talent then I could ever wish for (if you want the whole thing go look at the beginning of chapter 2!

**WARNING! THIS CHAPTER HAS LOTS OF HURT IN IT. IF YOU DON'T LIKE CHARACTER TORTURE SKIP THIS CHAPTER COMPLETLY AND GO TO THE NEXT ONE! I SERIOUS IF YOU _DO NOT LIKE DO NOT READ! _ YOUR HAVE BEEN WARNED! **

Chapter 5 

When Tristian came to his senses all he knew was that there was a really bright light shining into his hurting eyes making his head ache worse.

"Are you going to talk now little one?" A voice said.

He turned his head to see what was happening when he heard a blood-curling scream. His eyes flashed open and saw Titus on knees with his head bowed and his hands tied to ring set in the cobble stone floor. Then the smell hit him, the horrible smell of burning flesh and he knew what was happening. They, whoever they were, were torturing Titus and he had to stop it. He tried to rise ignoring his screaming head when he felt a tug at his arms.

'What the bloody…' He stopped mid thought when someone yelled:

"Hey we got another one awake try him, this ones getting boring."

Tristian felt freezing cold water being poured on his head and he sputtered and coughed. They pulled him up by his dark brown hair so they could see his face more clearly. He opened his eyes, which he never noticed he had closed.

'I've seen that face before somewhere.'

Then it dawned on him, it was one of Galahads attackers from their journey to this horrid place. He was surprised but didn't let it show. That had been one of their lessons last month: never show fear, so he opted to show no expression at all.

The Roman picked up his slender, lithe form with one hand and drug him below cuffs that were hanging from a rafter in the roof. They removed his leather jerkin and his soft wool tunic, lifted him up and locked his wrist in the cuffs. After making sure they would stay closed they picked him up higher to where his head almost toughed the rafter he was chained to and dropped him. There was a loud pop and then blinding pain as his shoulder was ripped of its socket, but he never made a noise. He hung there with his feet barley touching the floor.

For a fortnight or longer, for he lost count, they beat him with clubs and ever with shrubs whose thorns had a poison which made the little cuts and scratches it gave burn like fire. Their favorite was a soft rope whip that they used so they could beat him for long periods of time and not have t worry about him bleeding to death for the rope would take linger for it to break the skin.

When he would not utter a word or even a moan they switched to a whip that would rip the flesh off the bone with the first lash. They would burn him with hot coals and irons. The only time ha made any noise was when they stuck his arm into the little fire they made in the middle of the floor. They stabbed him and raped him until he was covered from head to toe in his own blood and was so close to death that he didn't even feel the pain anymore.

He could hear the others crying out in horrible agony.

'I'm sorry, so sorry, so so sorry.' He thought this over and over again until their screams died down and eventually stopped. He then closed his eyes and quit thinking.

A/N: hey I hope that wasn't too bad I could have done worse I had many other ways to torture my poor Tristian and the others but then I would be depressed the rest of the week. Review and chapter six will be up in no time ( I typing it after this but you have to review before I put up on the site muhahahahaha ;)


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